Judge Mehta’s ruling says this practice illegal, emphasizing that Google’s contracts with companies like Apple, Mozilla, and Samsung were part of a strategy to maintain its monopoly. Additionally, the DOJ is exploring limits on Google’s ability to enter into such contracts moving forward.
In a particularly revealing moment during the court proceedings, a Google executive testified that the company paid Apple a staggering $26 billion to keep its search engine as the default on iPhones.
DOJ and Google Debate the Remedies
The DOJ’s proposed remedies include restrictions on Google’s use of search data to train its generative artificial intelligence (AI) models, as well as preventing it from making search engine contracts with other companies.
Google, however, has pushed back against these proposals.
In a blog post, Google’s VP of Regulatory Affairs, Lee-Anne Mulholland, called the DOJ’s ideas “radical and sweeping.” She warned that the government’s plan would impact a wide range of industries and products, including smartphones, browsers, and AI technology.
